Did you know that prior to the 70’s people used to get fit like we do? Even the true old school Roman “gymnasium” more closely resembled the CrossFit box than what you probably think of when you think of the “gym”– a sea of intricate machinery and meandering patrons. So what happened?

Well back in the 70’s, some guy (I’m not in research mode), came out with the Nautilus machines. These machines were specifically designed to limit range of motion and remove all need for skill and technique from exercise. Yeah, I know, so how did they sell it if it’s nowhere near as beneficial as the old way? Well, the answer is the economic benefit. It wasn’t sold to consumers, it was sold to the fitness industry. Globo gym owners. It was explained to them that with these machines, there would be no need for a knowledgeable coach to guide the fitness process: motivate, encourage, teach, guide, and take genuine interest in the people’s progress. The human element could be removed. With one lump investment, the Globo owner was welcomed to sit back and watch the money of well-intended patrons flow in with minimal staffing and very little upkeep. More recently, the other strategy has become to charge ridiculously low prices,since essentially, all customers are doing is renting space for a short period of time. The most troubling reason is that the Globo gym’s business model banks on the fact that most people don’t actually use their membership, or if they do, they don’t use it consistently. Hand in hand with this phenomena is the fact that most people refuse to cancel their Globo gym agreement, because in the back of their minds, as long as they have a “membership” they technically haven’t given all the way up yet–which we both know is silly.

We are different

CrossFit is everything that the Globo gym isn’t, and CrossFit isn’t everything that the Globo gym is.

With the 2014 CrossFit Games coming to a close, we can all agree that, of all the people tested, Rich Froning and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet are the fittest human beings in the world. But what does this say about their health?

One of the several revolutionary concepts behind CrossFit is the defining of what fitness is. Work capacity across broad time and modal domains. Or as I like to say, “Who can do the most different types of work the fastest?” Another of these revolutionary concepts is the idea that fitness and health are not only related, BUT THEY ARE THE SAME THING.

This is so simple and does not require a lot of explanation, just a little thought. One of the primary markers that you are sick is that you are capable of less. How many of you have had to skip a WoD do to being “under the weather.” It’s that simple. If you’re ill, or your health is declining, it is indicated by your lack of ability to do things that an otherwise healthy person can.

How healthy would you say Rick Froning and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet are? Pretty damn healthy right? No injuries, no diseases, no chronic ailments, no metabolic disorders, no inhibitors of function.

All I want you to understand is what we are talking about. When many people discuss fitness or talk about being fit, they are talking about aesthetics. A look of being fit. But fitness is just like anything else in the world. Looks can be VERY decieving.